Southampton will be hoping to put last week’s disappointing result against Manchester City behind them, as they face Scott Parker’s Fulham on Boxing Day.
The Saints travel to Craven Cottage on Saturday hoping to pick up three points against the relegation candidates but will be without some key players due to injury and suspension.
Danny Ings, Jannik Vestergaard and Nathan Redmond all look likely to miss the trip to West London through injury, whilst key midfielder Oriol Romeu is suspended for Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side.
Here’s how Football FanCast expects the Austrian manager to line his side up against Fulham, with four changes from the side that started against Man City…
There’s one change in the Southampton defence, with Mohammed Salisu looking likely to make his debut against the Cottagers, following the injury to Vestergaard, which is undoubtedly a blow for Hasenhuttl’s side.
Ibrahim Diallo seems the natural replacement for the suspended Oriol Romeu in midfield, and he looks likely to make his first Premier League start at Craven Cottage, after Hasenhuttl spoke about the summer signing ahead of this weekend’s game.
Stuart Armstrong comes in on the left-hand side for Moussa Djenepo, as he was missed against Manchester City.
During his time with Celtic, the Scottish international was lauded by Brendan Rodgers, with the manager saying:
“Technically he has everything. He’s strong. I wasn’t sure tactically how he was but he looked like he had an idea. Physically he has everything: he’s fast, he’s strong, he’s powerful. Mentally, I had to find out, because playing for Celtic you have to be mentally strong to cope.”
Walcott starts on the right-hand side, although he could easily interchange with Armstrong throughout the game, or even move up front if Hasenhuttl desires.
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With Ings absent, Hasenhuttl may choose to start young Nathan Tella up front. The 21-year-old replaced the striker against Manchester City, and a recent academy display where he scored four goals as a striker certainly suggests that he could be dangerous if played there. This would be his full Premier League debut.
And, in other news… Exclusive: Carlton Palmer makes Danny Ings contract claim…
Tottenham Hotspur have launched a bid for Southampton star Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
According to Duncan Castles, as relayed by @TranSPURS, Tottenham have already made an offer for the Saints ace, who was recently stripped of the captaincy by Ralph Hasenhuttl.
Spurs have been linked to Hojbjerg for a number of months after Jose Mourinho identified the Dane at the top of his list of transfer targets, via Sky Sports.
According to The Times, Southampton will demand £35m for their former captain, despite the fact the Lilywhites had privately hoped he would be available for roughly £20m. Daniel Levy signed Tanguy Ndombele for a club record fee of £53.8m last year.
Hojbjerg has impressed at St Mary’s over the past few years, which has brought him to Mourinho’s attention. The midfielder, who played for Bayern Munich in the past, has played 29 games for Hasenhuttl’s side this season, registering one assist, making 2.4 tackles per game, averaging 1.5 interceptions and successfully completing 1.7 clearances per game on average (via WhoScored).
Castles revealed that the Saints have received three offers so far for the Danish international, although “none of them are satisfactory”. Tottenham have offered cash plus players in exchange but Southampton are refusing to budge, amid interest from Everton.
Mourinho is acutely aware that he will be severely restricted by a tight budget in the summer as Spurs bear the full brunt from the economic impact of the coronavirus crisis.
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While their asking price is surely more than affordable for a team that is reportedly the richest in London, clubs are working under unprecedented circumstances. As it stands, fans will have to wait and see what new signings are made in the upcoming transfer window.
Tottenham fans, should Daniel Levy sign Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in the summer? Let us down below!
Speaking exclusively to Snack Media, Arsenal Women’s star Vivianne Miedema has revealed the north London side must be focused on achieving Champions League qualification for next season.
Having won the Women’s Super League last year by seven points, the Gunners are in the midst of a battle with Manchester City and Chelsea in a bid to retain their title.
Joe Montemurro’s side are three points behind current leaders City, and lie in third. And with only the top two teams in the division securing a place in European football’s elite competition, Miedema has insisted the Gunners must ensure they are playing Champions League football once again next season.
She said: “Before the season started, we already had said our main goal is qualifying for the the Champions League again. Right now, we’re still in the FA Cup, the Continental Cup, and in the title race.
“But I think our focus should be on qualifying for the Champions League again next year because in the end, that’s what you want. You want to play Champions League, you want to match yourself with the best teams in Europe and from there on, everything else is a bonus.”
Whilst news that the Women’s Super League will receive a third Champions League place for the 2021/2022 campaign will be well received, Arsenal will be well aware that they face an incredibly tough task this year to make it into the competition for next season.
Despite having Miedema continue to find the back of the net at an extraordinary rate – she is averaging a goal every 81 minutes in the league this campaign – the Gunners have seen their title defence stall in recent weeks.
The north Londoners have suffered damaging defeats to both their title rivals, losing 4-1 to Chelsea, and then falling to a 2-1 reverse to City.
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The margin for error now is extremely slim, and Miedema in particular will have to be at the top of her game if the Gunners are to retain their trophy.
Voting for the WSL PFA Bristol Street Motors Player of the Month is now open. For the chance to present your favourite player withÂtheir award, click here.
This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
Sunderland have struggled of late but they stand a good chance of winning tonight if Phil Parkinson gets a key tactic right and exploits Burton accordingly.
On the chalkboard
The Black cats have weak aspects to their game themselves, but since those issues mainly lie in attack they should be able to deal with the threat posed by the visitors tonight, particularly as they have only scored 18 goals in 15 league games.
Another point of weakness of Nigel Clough’s side is their ability on the ball. The Brewers have averaged a pass accuracy of just 70%, which shows they can be got at when in possession.
Phil Parkinson has to make his players aware of that fact, and instruct them to close down their opponents with greater intensity, especially the defenders.
Such pressure could cause a mistake which leads to a Sunderland goal, but failing that it should at least rush Burton in their decision making, and lead them to concede possession easily, which will lead to the home side dominating the ball – making it more likely for them to find a breakthrough.
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Change in personnel?
If Parkinson is to adopt a high-press strategy for this clash he may be best suited to making a few changes to his starting lineup.
Players with more pace like Duncan Watmore and Benji Kimpioka could be drafted into the side with good effect, replacing the maligned Chris Maguire or Aiden McGeady.
That would allow the Black Cats to defend from the front, and perhaps ensure that the majority of the game is played in the opponent’s half, which would keep them pinned down and allow Sunderland to pile on the pressure.
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With that in mind, it may also be useful to recall Marc McNulty to the side. He has built up a reputation over the years as a hard-working forward, and such work rate and desire could prove very useful in shutting down defenders.
All but one Burton defender has a pass accuracy lower than 70%. If Parkinson doesn’t attempt to exploit that it would be a missed opportunity, and Sunderland could once again find themselves in a position where they’re struggling to break a team down, as the visitors have only conceded 16 league goals this season.
Meanwhile, Parkinson has also been going wrong by repeating this simple failure throughout his tenure so far.
It would be fair to say that the last week or so hasn’t been ideal for Arsenal.
Yes, Mikel Arteta’s side are still top of the Premier League, but a draw away to Chelsea and then a defeat at the hands of Aston Villa have diminished their lead to just two points.
Moreover, while they certainly weren’t terrible against the Villans, they failed to make the most of their chances.
One player who has received quite a bit of criticism from the fan base in the aftermath is Martin Odegaard, and if reports are to be believed, the club could be looking to bring someone in who could be bad news for his place in the team.
Arsenal target Odegaard upgrade
With the transfer window now less than a month away from reopening, Arsenal have a chance to reinforce their squad, and the good news is that they’ve already been linked with a host of brilliant players.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
For example, Real Madrid’s Rodrygo has once again been touted for a £70m move to the Emirates, as has Nottingham Forest’s £79m Murillo.
However, while both Brazilians would undoubtedly have an impact on Arteta’s side, neither one could be described as a potential rival, upgrade or replacement for Odegaard, unlike Kenan Yıldız.
Yes, according to recent reports from Italy, Arsenal have reignited their interest in the Turkish wonderkid.
In fact, the report goes further than that, revealing that the Gunners have once more made contact to find out what would be needed to make this deal happen.
However, while a potential price is not mentioned in the story, other reports from last month claim that a fee of around £88m could be enough to tempt Juventus into selling.
It would therefore be a costly and potentially complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Yıldız’s ability and potential, Arsenal should fight for him, especially as he could provide real competition for Odegaard, if not outright replace him.
How Yıldız compares to Odegaard
So, the first thing to point out is that while Yıldız is primarily viewed as a winger, he could easily become more of a ten over time.
After all, while he has spent plenty of time out wide, his most-played position is second striker, and given his third-most-played position is attacking midfield, the idea of him dropping a little deeper does not feel far-fetched.
Moreover, the youngster already possesses one of the key characteristics of the best tens: the ability to both score and assist goals with relative ease. There is a reason European football writer Danny Corcoran has suggested the youngster has “Mbappe-like ability.”
For example, in 52 appearances last season, totalling 3520 minutes, he scored 12 goals and provided nine assists, which comes out to a goal involvement on average every 2.47 games, or every 167.61 minutes.
He has somehow become even more dangerous this season, scoring six goals and providing five assists in 19 appearances, totalling 1533 minutes, which is a goal involvement every 1.72 games, or every 139.36 minutes.
Yıldız’s vs Odegaard
24/25
Yıldız
Odegaard
Appearances
52
45
Minutes
3520′
3447′
Goals
12
6
Assists
9
12
25/26
Yıldız
Odegaard
Appearances
18
11
Minutes
1457′
516′
Goals
5
0
Assists
5
2
All Stats via Transfermarkt
For comparison’s sake, Odegaard scored six goals and provided 12 assists in 45 appearances, totalling 3447 minutes, last season, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.5 games, or every 191.5 minutes.
This season, in the period he has been available, the Norwegian international has provided two assists in 11 appearances, totalling 516 minutes, which is an average of one every 5.5 games, or every 258 minutes.
With it clear that the Turkish gem is more of an attacking threat than the Gunners’ captain, what else makes him a player that Andrea Berta and Co cannot miss out on?
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Well, as his output would suggest, he is, in the words of content creator Alex Moneypenny, someone “capable of the spectacular.”
Whether that’s a goal from distance, a mazy run that ends in a chance or just some tidy footwork that gets his team on their way, the Regensburg-born talent is an attacker who can seemingly do it all.
This is unsurprisingly reflected in his underlying numbers as well.
Yıldız’s Scout Report
Statistics
Per 90
Percentile
Goal-Creating Actions
1.22
Top 6%
Shot-Creating Actions
6.10
Top 8%
xAG: Exp. Assisted Goals
0.46
Top 9%
Carries into Penalty Area
3.41
Top 11%
Shots on Target
1.46
Top 12%
Successful Take-Ons
3.17
Top 12%
All Stats via FBref for the 25/26 UCL
According to FBref, he ranks in the top 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Champions League for goal-creating actions, the top 8% for shot-creating actions, the top 9% for expected assisted goals, the top 11% for carries into the penalty area and more, all per 90.
Ultimately, while it would be an expensive transfer to get over the line, Arsenal should do what they can to sign Yıldız, as he’s got the ability and potential to replace Odegaard and become a world-class ten.
Sterling 2.0: Berta flop already looks like he'll never make it at Arsenal
It is not looking good for the Arsenal star so far this season.
Liverpool are moving like the champions that they are in the summer transfer market, with Arne Slot’s side welcoming a wealth of talented players to the team.
Slot has been rewarded for his magnificent maiden campaign, all right, with Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike and Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong and Giorgi Mamardashvili joining a title-winning side hungry for even more success.
And there’s more still to come. Liverpool’s careful planning across the past few years has allowed them to move into his powerful position.
With Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez both slated for Anfield exits, a few more offensive additions might lie around the corner.
Liverpool's next transfer plans
Should Diaz and Nunez indeed be sold, Liverpool have a variety of options that they might exercise to achieve the next phase of Slot’s sweeping plan.
Ekitike has linked up with the Redmen on their pre-season tour in Asia, but he is a dynamic forward who could play out on the left, should another centre-forward be coveted.
Out-and-out wingers such as Anthony Gordon and Real Madrid’s Rodrygo have also been heavily linked in recent weeks.
But if Liverpool instead choose to sign a new number nine, it’s Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak who has emerged as the leading contender, with Spanish sources claiming that the 25-year-old is right at the top of the club’s summer shortlist.
Given that Fabrizio Romano has since revealed the Sweden international “wants” to sign for the Merseysiders, there’s little question that things are going to start to accelerate – with a move to Anfield said to be his “priority”.
The Magpies, it should be said, will not roll over and allow their talisman to waltz away from St. James’ Park without a fight. Indeed, they would be seeking a British record £130m payment.
What Alexander Isak would bring to Liverpool
Ekitike is a talented and versatile forward, but he’s undoubtedly a work in progress. In Isak, Liverpool would sign themselves a number nine right at the top of his game and with a wealth of Premier League experience.
His clinical shooting his a thing to behold.
The 25-year-old joined Newcastle from Real Sociedad for a club-record £63m fee in 2022 and he has since forged quite the career for himself in England, the frontman of a fast-rising outfit, qualifying for the Champions League in two of his three terms and beating Liverpool to lift the Carabao Cup in March.
Having shaken off the injury issues that plagued him across his debut campaign, the £120k-per-week Isak is “the best striker in the world” to some, with analyst Raj Chohan saying exactly that toward the end of the 2024/25 campaign, with the forward having scored 27 goals and supplied six assists across all competitions.
Alexander Isak’s Newcastle Record
Statistics
#
Games
109
Goals
62
Goal rate
0.57
Assists
11
Assist rate
0.10
G/A rate
0.67
Data via Transfermarkt
The circumstances around the Liverpool bid for this wonderful Premier League player offer certain similarities to when Jurgen Klopp oversaw the £75m acquisition of Virgil van Dijk from Southampton, the Dutchman becoming the subject of a world-record fee for a defender at the time.
Isak’s £130m price tag would also make him a record-breaking player, should he leave Newcastle this summer, which illustrates the depths of Liverpool’s desire, for they are willing to spend significant fees when the player is considered to be talented enough.
They got it right the first time. Could they strike again? Van Dijk, now Liverpool’s title-winning captain, has completed 319 fixtures for the Reds, notching 28 goals and 13 assists, winning the full gamut of silverware and cementing himself as one of the greatest players of his generation.
A leader and far more than just a tough-tackling defender (although that is one of the staples of the 33-year-old’s skill set), Van Dijk warranted such a payment because he is so much more than his position defines him as.
Isak is the same. As per FBref, the centre-forward ranked among the top 16% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues last year for shot-creating actions, the top 13% for progressive passes, the top 7% for progressive carries and the top 8% for successful take-ons per 90.
He would be tasked with scoring the goals for Liverpool, but Isak would also be expected to perform as an all-encompassing talisman. His talent demands it.
Arne Slot and Virgil van Dijk for Liverpool
Of course, Isak and Van Dijk are not positionally similar, but they are two of the most talented players in their respective positions, having cut their teeth and developed their skills elsewhere in the English top flight before making the leap to Merseyside.
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Moreover, neither would be the youngest on the block when first arriving at Anfield, for Van Dijk was 26 years old when he made the move and Isak is, of course, 25 years old.
In a way though, this bespeaks their maturity and completeness, arriving at the club with ready-made skills at the highest level, eager to lead the team through a period of sustained success.
Described as a “special football player” by pundit Daniel Sturridge, Isak has the chance to emulate Van Dijk in making the move to Liverpool for a record fee after making his name elsewhere.
Newcastle’s remarkable rise differs to that of Southampton, but the similarities are there.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
If Slot and sporting director Richard Hughes do manage to pull this incredible feat off, it might just prove to be every bit as transformative as that time when Klopp rewrote the script with the capture of Van Dijk.
Isak's new Gordon: Liverpool lining up "explosive" £51m Diaz replacement
Liverpool are still ready to be active in the summer transfer market.
Pep Guardiola said after last weekend’s 1-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest that his Manchester City team have “ten finals” to ensure they’ll be playing Champions League football next season.
Well, we’re no closer to finding out if the Sky Blues will secure a top-five finish after the first of these ten fixtures produced a stalemate.
On Saturday afternoon, the soon-to-be dethroned champions were held to a 2-2 draw by Brighton at the Etihad.
They led twice, Erling Braut Håland converting an early penalty before Omar Marmoush struck on the cusp of half-time, but an unfortunate own goal by Abdukodir Khusanov saw the Seagulls earn a first-ever Premier League point in East Manchester.
Marmoush
Ahead of the international break, this draw highlights a defensive conundrum in Guardiola’s team; something to ponder, not just before an FA Cup quarter-final at Bournemouth in a fortnight, but also as the Citizens look to reconfigure their squad long-term.
Indeed, it looks as if the former Barcelona boss may well have unearthed his next Oleksandr Zinchenko…
Oleksandr Zinchenko's time at Manchester City
Zinchenko joined Manchester City from Russian Premier League side FC Ufa for a reported fee of £1.7m back in 2016, very much an unknown teenager at the time.
He was immediately loaned out to PSV Eindhoven, making 17 appearances for the Dutch giants, as Phillip Cocu’s team finished rock-bottom of their Champions League group and came third in the Eredivisie, so not the best season to be at Philips Stadion.
Upon his return to Manchester, everyone expected Zinchenko to be an attacking midfield option, but Guardiola had other ideas, with more than 90% of the Ukrainian’s appearances for the club coming at left-back.
Guardiola described him at left-back as “important” to how the team functions, adding that he possesses “incredible quality”.
Meantime, Neel Shelat of Breaking the Lines believed Zinchenko’s ‘ball progression’ and ‘importance in build-up’ makes up for his ‘defensive weakness’, James Robson of the Evening Standard described him as ‘outstanding’, while the Ukrainian himself admitted left-full-back may now be his “best position”.
His performances convinced Mikel Arteta to bring him to Arsenal for a reported fee of £30m, and almost all of his 85 appearances for the Gunners have come at left-back.
Chalkboard
Now, does Guardiola face a similar conundrum but in reverse, with one of his full-backs potentially better off in midfield?
Man City's new Zinchenko
Rico Lewis’ statistics from Saturday’s draw with Brighton leap off the page but not for the right reasons, losing 50% of his duels, relinquishing possession on ten occasions and contributing zero key passes. That led to a 6/10 match rating from Simon Bajkowski of the Manchester Evening News.
As noted by Bajkowski previously, Lewis has ‘struggled’ for consistency this season, used ‘infrequently’ in recent months, with Guardiola admitting he over-played the 20-year-old during the early part of this campaign.
Joe Bray of MEN, meanwhile, notes that Lewis’ ‘inexperience’ cost him against Real Madrid, while Jason Burt of the Telegraph believes his future could lie in midfield, thereby going on the opposite transition to Zinchenko.
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So, let’s compare the two players’ respective Manchester City careers panned out.
Rico Lewis vs Oleksandr Zinchenko Man City career comparison
Statistics
Lewis
Zinchenko
Appearances
87
128
Minutes
5,828
9,365
Goals
4
2
Assists
9
12
Pass completion %
91.8%
89.1%
Progressive passes per 90
4.7
8.1
Shot-creating actions per 90
71
161
% of dribblers tackled
57.1%
51.6%
Interceptions per 90
0.79
1.3
Ball-recoveries per 90
4.6
5.7
Take on success %
47.6%
52.2%
Touches per 90
70
108
Statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt and FBref.com
As the table outlines, Zinchenko largely comes out on top when compared to Lewis, albeit the England international is still only 20 years old, meaning the vast majority of his appearances have come as a teenager.
Nevertheless, Lewis’ pass completion percentage is outstanding, currently ranked joint-seventh in the Premier League this season in this metric, while his chance creation and defensive metrics aren’t too bad either.
Nevertheless, his passing prowess suggests Lewis’ long-term future could be as a midfielder, which is certainly something for Guardiola to consider going forward.
Rico Lewis
All things considered, finding the best positional fit for the England international is proving something of a dilemma, much as it was with the aforementioned Zinchenko.
Man City have already sold their own Adam Wharton for just £7m
As Man City continue their pursuit of Adam Wharton, they may regret having sold a “similar” talent
It says a lot that there was a feeling of deflation around Parkhead at full-time on Wednesday night, with Celtic forced to settle for a point following what was an even affair with Belgian side, Club Brugge.
While that 1-1 draw may appear like two points dropped for the Hoops – particularly after dispatching RB Leipzig last time out on home soil – it a sign of the club’s growing strength in the Champions League that such a result was viewed with frustration, rather than positivity.
Of course, a place in the play-off round is far from secure, although it is worth remembering that the Old Firm side are just two points off the top eight, having also found themselves above the likes of Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, no less.
Faced with a Brugge side who saw off Premier League high-flyers Aston Villa prior to the international break, the hosts can be encouraged by their display, with a handful of individuals having caught the eye across the park.
Celtic's best performers vs Brugge
There’s no getting away from it, this was not Brendan Rodgers’ men at their free-flowing best, with it having taken the half-time interval for the home side to truly get going against the Pro League outfit.
Unsurprisingly, among the catalysts after the break was that man Daizen Maeda, with the relentless forward curling home the effort that his performance deserved, having defended from the front in remarkable fashion.
Elsewhere, a word must also be said for the ever-reliable skipper, with Callum McGregor pulling the strings in the centre of the park, enjoying a staggering 95% pass accuracy from his deep-lying midfield berth, as per Sofascore.
The long-serving playmaker provided that much-needed experience in the heart of the Celtic side, with veteran asset Kasper Schmeichel also again making his mark in the sticks, having made three key saves, while also enjoying a 98% pass accuracy of his own.
That said, it was another new arrival who undoubtedly stole the show, even ahead of that man Maeda…
Celtic's hero vs Brugge
Usually unflappable, Cameron Carter-Vickers had a night to forget following his freak own goal midway through the first-half, with the United States international producing an errant back-pass to gift the visitors the advantage.
Thankfully for the former Tottenham Hotspur man, that early error did not impact the rest of his performance, with the Celtic backline largely holding firm from then on, not least due to his international colleague, Auston Trusty.
The £6m summer signing has now firmly ousted Liam Scales from that left centre-back berth and it’s clear to see why, with the 26-year-old having been simply “tremendous” again on the night, in the words of journalist Ryan McGinley.
Key stats – Celtic vs Brugge
Stat
Highest ranking
Most touches
Cameron Carter-Vickers (160)
Highest pass accuracy
Adam Idah (5/5 – 100%)
Most key passes
Christos Tzolis (4)
Ground duels won
Maxim De Cuyper (7/7)
Aerial duels won
Carter-Vickers (7/8)
Clearances
Joaquin Seys (8)
Most tackles
De Cuyper & Onyedika (3)
Possession lost
Nicolas Kuhn (23)
Stats via Sofascore
Notably among the key performers in the triumph over Leipzig, the ex-Sheffield United man was again a man mountain at the back, winning 100% of his aerial duels, as well as winning three of his five ground duels.
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For a player who had never played in the Champions League prior to this season, the American has largely taken to Europe’s premier competition like a duck to water, having showcased his composure in possession after racking up a mammoth haul of 133 touches, as well as recording a 97% pass accuracy rate.
Auston Trusty
After a period of so much turbulence in the centre-back ranks in recent years – amid the failed signings of the likes of Maik Nawrocki, Gustav Lagerbielke and Yuki Kobayashi, just to name a few – Trusty is, as his name suggests, now a trusted performer for Rodgers and co.
Performance in Numbers
Want data and stats? Football FanCast's Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.
The horror-show in Dortmund aside, the one-time Arsenal man is now part of a defence that looks unlikely to crumble on the big stage, with the Glasgow giants finally having a solid defensive foundation to build on.
Three crucial Champions League fixtures lie ahead to decide Celtic’s fate – does the knockout stage beckon?
Worse than Carter-Vickers: Rodgers must drop Celtic man who won 0 duels
The Celtic attacker did not enjoy a successful evening at Parkhead against Club Brugge.
Arne Slot's reign as Liverpool boss has started slowly on the transfer front. There's nothing wrong with that. After all, there haven't been too many deals concluded in the Premier League yet.
However, once Euro 2024 ends, you would expect Slot and the recruitment team to advance on various targets to strengthen a squad that fell behind Manchester City and Arsenal towards the business end of last season.
Feyenoord manager Arne Slot
Where do the Reds need to strengthen? Well, with Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah's contracts set to expire in a year, you sense a new centre-back and indeed another option out wide would do the trick, thus preparing themselves for the worst-case scenario that their two star men depart.
So, who is at the forefront of the Anfield club's mind? Well, talk has been rife in recent weeks surrounding a potential move for Anthony Gordon.
The latest on Anthony Gordon to Liverpool
A boyhood Red, this is a move that would cause quite a stir on Merseyside given Gordon's ties to Everton.
However, he is a Toffee no more and has been lighting it up in the Premier League for Newcastle United.
The threat of a points deduction for failing to comply with profit and sustainability guidelines meant he was reportedly offered to Liverpool at the end of June.
The Reds said no to a move for the time being, despite the winger's apparent lust for a switch to the club.
Liverpool could yet still make a move in the summer months but they may have to pay a £70m fee according to reports.
Either way, it's a deal that has the backing of a certain Emile Heskey.
What Heskey has said about Gordon
Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast this week on behalf of 888sport, former Liverpool striker Emile Heskey was asked whether Gordon would be a good signing for Slot and Co.
The answer was definitive. Heskey said: "Yes it would [be a good signing] for sure. Gordon is a top young player. He is exciting, he gets the crowd off their feet and this is what you want as a winger."
Liverpool-Gordon-Newcastle
Last term, the Toon star really exploded into life, scoring 12 goals and registering 11 assists in all competitions.
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That said, Heskey thinks the 23-year-old can go even better, particularly if he was to play at Anfield.
The former England forward continued: "He can be capable of scoring 20+ goals a season which is what wingers have to aim for nowadays. He is direct and has shown for Newcastle that he can perform at a top level. I like him a lot and he has the potential to go far as he has all the credentials to be a top winger."
Newcastle player Anthony Gordon
Would the Newcastle star fit in back on Merseyside? Heskey certainly reckons so: "Liverpool like these types of players, so Gordon would fit into the Liverpool mould of player very well," he told FFC. "Playing in front of the Anfield crowd, driving forward with the ball, this move could work really well."
Gordon has proven himself to be one of the most captivating forwards in the league over the last year, and even if he has only earned a few minutes of game time at Euro 2024, this is a player who has the potential to become a key figure at international level in the coming years.
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Pundit Carlton Palmer has assessed the chances of a manager who has "done very, very well" in previous jobs becoming Sunderland's next boss.
Sunderland manager news
The Black Cats won't have a new permanent manager in place until the end of the season, with Mike Dodds set to continue in his caretaker role for the remainder of the Championship campaign.
Current options are being looked at as Michael Beale's long-term replacement, however, and one journalist has even claimed that Dodds getting the permanent job hasn't been completely ruled out, perhaps depending on how he fares in the coming months.
A return to the Stadium of Light for Alex Neil has also been mooted, too, with the former boss thought to be keen on taking the job, while up-and-coming Reims boss Will Still is also seen as an option.
Former Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper has also been mentioned as a potential candidate, in what could be a statement appointment by Sunderland, considering he has recently been in the Premier League.
Pundit reacts to Alex Neil returning to Sunderland rumours
Speaking to Football League World after hearing the rumours about Neil possibly returning to Sunderland, Palmer played down the idea of that happening, having doubts about him being the right fit. He did praise the 42-year-old, though, saying:
Stoke City's former manager Alex Neil.
"Reports are suggesting that Alex Neil, former Sunderland boss, would be interested in exploring the option of returning to Sunderland. Neil led Sunderland out of League One through the play-offs and was doing very, very well at Sunderland before walking out to take the Stoke job and in doing so he criticised the way that the club was run and the transfer situation with the hierarchy. So, that's not going to change, and I think the way that he left the football club was not in a good way and then his comments.
"So, I think it's highly unlikely that Sunderland will revisit the Alex Neil situation, and again, I thought at the time, you know, I do rate Alex Neil as a manager, and he's done very, very well at previous clubs, but it's surprising how many times, when you, do walk out, and I understand his reasoning for doing so because obviously Tony Mowbray had the same problems with Sunderland, also he took over and got them in the Championship play-offs. He also questioned the hierarchy of the situation as regards transfers etc. and the way the club was run."
Palmer makes some good points regarding Neil, and it is a tricky decision to make with him, considering he guided Sunderland back into the Championship in 2021/22, beating Wycombe Wanderers in the League One playoff final.
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That being said, things did end sourly with him at the Stadium of Light, due to taking charge at Stoke City after a short spell with the Black Cats, and supporters may feel that going back a second time could be a big risk.
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Going with a younger option like Still may well be the way forward, with the 31-year-old only growing as a manager and possibly leaving Reims this summer, but Cooper could also be a great choice if he is happy to drop down a division, assuming Sunderland don't get promoted.